Cliffs mine tours are returning Tuesday

If you’ve ever wanted to see one of the companies that drives the U.P. economy in action from right up close, you’ll have a chance to do it starting tomorrow.

Cliffs Natural Resources is joining forces with the Lake Superior Community Partnership to offer a mine tour again this year. It’ll begin running tomorrow afternoon. The tours will take place every Tuesday through Saturday from tomorrow until August 23rd.

“And it’s a really great opportunity for us to open our doors and to teach about the iron ore industry and what we’re doing on property,” Cliffs Michigan district manager for public affairs Jennifer Huetter said. “It also gives us a great opportunity to tell about the history of mining here in the U.P., because it’s a great, long history.”

Cliffs and the LSCP have offered the tour every year since 1994. Visitors get to see the mile-wide, 1,200-foot-deep open pit at the Empire Mine and the iron ore processing facilities at the Tilden Mine.

“Over the last couple of years, we’ve had roughly about a thousand people run through the public tour during the months through June through August, and we’re anticipating those same kinds of numbers again this year,” Huetter said. “We invite everyone. If you’ve never come out and visited the mine operations before, we’d love to see you.”

The tour leaves from the Michigan Iron Industry Museum in Negaunee at noon each day, and it takes about three and a half hours. Tickets cost $15 and can be bought in advance at the LSCP office in Marquette. Space is limited and the tours are first-come, first-served, so reservations are recommended.